[from the diary of Matthella Page Harrison as copied at a later date]

Wednesday, May 14th

A close, rainy day.  A company of Northern vandals passed through Millwood
enroute for Front Royal.  We were rejoicing yesterday evening that we had not
seen any for a week.  Those dreadful ones remind us of the fearful struggle
going on in which our loved ones are engaged, and the next tidings that reach
us may be that some are gone, cut off in the brightness of their days, in the
glory and strength of their youth, in the full blossom of their hopes.

MSS 9759

Orange C H  15 May, 1862

My dear Lucy

I have been wai-
ting with anxiety to hear something
further from you respecting brother
Eugene.  You promised to let me
know when you should hear from
him, & as I have not gotten another
communication from you all
since yours of the 10th, I am rather
afraid that you have not received
any tidings from him.  do let
me know; and if it should appear
that he needs assistance, I shall
hasten to set out to render it.
Before tomorrow, (Fast Day,)  I could
not possibly leave; but after thatn,
I would omit the Sunday’s service
if necessary, so as to start 2 days
sooner. I hope, however, that
my anxiety will prove to have been
causeless.  Next week
you know, is the time for meeting
of Convention in Richmond

[page 2]
and I expect to attend it–that is,
if McClellan does not rout us out
of the city, by the 21st.
(I had looked for James McIntire’s
name, in the list of casualties of the
19th Va. Regt; & from not seenig[sic] it,
presumed that he was safe, as your
letter  informs me he is, actually.
Did you know any of the killed or
seriously wounded in that Regt?
I am glad to learn that Bennett
Taylor’s wound is slight.
You mention that Dr Cabell has
gone to Danville.  Did Mrs Cabell
& Wm Gibbons go with him, or are
they to follow after a while?)
I suppose that Staige’s labors are
somewhat lightened by his promotion
to be surgeon of the post.  ‘Tis pity
for the patients’ sake, I imagine,
that he is removed from the wards.
Sister Mary, I hope, escaped the
threatened attack of typhoid fever.
How prevalent that disease is!  Here

[page 3]
-abouts it is often complicated with
pneumonia. Two little girls at
this place are now very ill with it;
(one a daughter of Dr. Edmund Talia
-ferro; the other a daughter of Mr
Alfred Chapman, my neighbor,
at Berry Hill.)
For myself, I am getting
better & stronger in health, than I
have been for a good while. since
James has gone, I have to work in
the garden; and such moderate
exercise suits me admirably.   I
recommend it to you, or any other
health-seeking friend–Cant you
get a sun-bonnet & a light hoe, &
help uncle Claiborne?
Elizabeth & Mary Minor need no
further exercise than they get in the
cooking-room at the hospital, I sup=
pose.  Enclosed they will find
$5. as a donation to their fund….
(WIth love to them, to mother,
Staige, Miss Betty, & all,)  I am

[page 4]
your affectionate brother
Richard T. Davis
P.S. a letter from Chaplain J. C.
Hiden, of the 12th, two days later
than yours, tells me that not tidings
of bro. E. were had, up to that date

MSS 9852, -i, -j

[from the diary of Samuel Johnson, 1st Massachusetts Independent Light Battery]

               May 15th

Turned out early, and by five A.M were
again on the road.  At noon after a very
disagreeable march, we arrived at the
White House. (on the banks of the Pamunkey)
It was here that Gen George Washington was
married.  This is the finest and best
cultivated plantation we have seen
thus far, it is now owned by the rebel
Gen. R. E. Lee,s  Rained very hard all
day.

[transcription by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 8493

[from the diary of Eliza Oswald Hill, refugee from Wilmington, N.C.]
Thursday –very cold–& the rain pouring down in torrents all
day–No one could go to Church.  At night it held up & we
all attended Confirmation–6 were confirmed–The minister
Evanshart preached for us–He is from Charlotte–& an excellent
preacher–Mr Wingfield read the lessons–Our family from
the Hotel made quite an addition to the congregation–As we
number 12 ladies in the house & one gentleman Mr Wingfield.
Dr. Drane is here–Also Mr Terry & Mr_______ from Wilmington.
Mr Fromer called to day & handed me Mr Jewett’s letter contain
ing the dividends–Also telling of Anerum Burr & Mrs Johnston’s mar
riaage–Mr Dickinson & lady also Dr Hormand De Rosset is here

MSS 6960

[from the diary of Daniel D. Logan, younger brother of General Thomas M. Logan, formerly a Sgt, Co. B, 1st Special Battalion (Rightor’s), now with the Hampton Legion]

                        Thursday – May 15th 1862
The Enemies Gunboats, Galena, Monitor, &
three others Came up to the Battery &
opened upon them, after 2 ½ hours
had to retreat – the Galena said to be
on fire – Our Guns were manned by
the  Crew of the Merrimac – There is
great rejoicing over this slight success in
the City – Every thing in the army below is
said to be quiet – I rode out to Capt Woods
stables & returned Collins horse – Capt Harrison
& staff will now have to travel in an
Ambulance – Spent the morning writing for
Capt Harrison – Dined with Mrs Harvey
& Miss D – Spent the Evening with Mr.
Jenkins family & Mr Gibsons – Rain again
today – Mailed my letter to Sallie today
via Jackson Miss, Care Fearn Putnam & Co.
Returned at 11 o’c. No letters from La yet!
It is very hard –

[transcription by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 6154

[from the diary of Charles Hay of the 23rd Ohio]

                                                                         
                             Camp at Mouth of East River, May 15th.
     The long roll was beaten today, and we all
“fell in” with alacrity.  After standing an
hour in a drizzling rain, without any sign
of the presence of an enemy, we were dismissed.
The cause of the alarm I have not learned,
probably it was occasioned by the pickets
coming in contact & skirmishing.  Being
delightfully near our Southern neighbors, scarce
a day passes but that is enlivened with skir=
=mishes on the outposts, and our ears are
not unfrequently greeted with the sharp
crack of musketry.
     We are, at this time, very scarce of provis=
=ions.  For the past 5 days, but a few barrels
of bread have been issued to the Regiment.
Our principal food is fresh beef, in an in=
=sufficient quantity.
     The 12th Reg’t now belongs to our Brigade,
in place of the 34th (Zouave) Reg’t, assigned
to the 2nd Brigade.  The 23rd, 30th & 12th Reg’ts,
McMullin’s Battery & Gilmores Cavalry, constitute the
1st Prov’l Brigade, under command of Col. Scammon.

[transcription by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 13925

[from the diary of Lt. John Tyler of the Letcher Artillery]

May15th  Raining still and has
rained all night.  Beat Jim at chess
to day.  Has rained all day long.

[transcription by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 6150

[from the diary of William M. Blackford, former diplomat, editor and banker in Lynchburg, Va., with five sons in the Confederate Army]

Thursday 15  Another day of cold rain
-giving every assurance of its being the” long season in May”.  I think
much of the soldiers on the field.
very unwell–Mr Botts & Mr Pollard
-some of my old friends Gen Botts, of
Frdg and Wm Pollock, of Rumford[?]
called to see me–I invited them to
spend the evening with us and they
promised to do so–but failed to convince[?]
Young Botts is threatened with blindness
Read in Q: Rev. of April ’61, an article
on the “[?] pearls of History”  very
well calculated to awaken faith in
all history–I never had much and
the more I read history the more skepti
-cal I become–Indeed I have adop
ted the theory, that the mere truth
is not very important, to point a
moral or adorn a tale” provided the
facts are generally recd  [?] has
blown up all levys pleasant stone
and given us nothing in their place
until lately, historians did not
aim at the truth–they put themselves
to no trouble to ascertain facts by in
vestigation and collating of authorities
Voltaire admitted that when by a
little embellishment of fancy he could im
part interest to a narration he never
failed to do it–Hume would not take
the trouble when writing on an im
portant event in his history, to rise
from his seat and verify a date or
fact by consulting a Book on the op
posite side of the Admirals Library
Lamartine’s history is as much of
a romance as any he has written
mot historians have a theory to maintain
and to do this they make facts confirm
The article in question shows that
most of the fine sayings of great men
were either not spoken or are imita
ted or borrowed from some one else
Talleyrand, whose witty and sarcas
tic remarks are so often quoted, had
a collection of anecdotes, mots &c in
22 vols. and his nephew says it is
the only book he ever read regularly.
He selected the best and [?] [?]

[?], or perhpas render, occasion for
passing them off as his own with all
the air of complete spontaneity.  It
is well known Sheridan kept his
[?] [?] [?] prepared for
paper for use.  He was apparently
the most ready & brilliant of men &
yet really required long time to prepare
his jokes & his speeches–Every line
of his long speech on the trial of Has-
tings was written out & committed
to memory.
In the afternoon, late, came a des-
patch saying the Iron clad steamer
Galena had with two others, attack
en the battery at Wilton and after
an action of three hours had been
forced to haul off–the Galena hav
ing been set on fire.  this is theory
as far as it goes.

MSS 4763

[from the diary of James Dismore Templeton, musician and private in the 23rd Ohio]
Thursday, May 15, 1862
Guard mounting &
Parade. Have done nothing
this day. just allow
the time to roll on
us far as it will
Went down to the house
below us to get loaf
of corn bread this
morning also this eve
another
McMullen out skirm-
ishing again
Cloudy vapor envail
ing the mountains above
us. sprinkling a little at
times Read a little
very bad hurt hand
got a knife & fork &
spoon at house below us
MSS 10317